10 YEARS LATER

Today is my wedding day. A beautiful wedding to Colton Cullen. He proposed to me six months ago, and I have been planning all the details for this day ever since. It will be perfect, other than one small problem... The groom is not the man I am in love with.

Colton is cute and sweet, but no matter how hard I try, I can't get my heart to feel the same way for him as it did for Alec. I do enjoy the kissing, the holding, and the sex, and I do love being around him, but it just isn't the same. I haven't seen Alec in over ten years and yet I still have more powerful emotions towards him than towards Colton.

I sent an invitation to Alec just to show him I've moved on. I enclosed a letter with it like he had done to me. It went as follows:

Dear Alec,

Fuck you.

-Cassie

It was pretty immature, but I had still laughed when delivering it to the post office.

The wedding will be held in our backyard. It has an old-fashioned gazebo that is perfect for the occasion.

"Dress time!" Alice trills as she, Rose, Bella, and Renesmee come running into my room. I quickly change my distraught expression to one of utter joy. Alice is carrying a large dress bag and unzips it in one, fluid motion

"Hands up," Rose orders and my arms fly up. Renesmee yanks off my cotton shorts and T-shirt, and her and Alice expertly pull the dress down over me as I gawk once again at how stunning it is. It clings to me at the top, hugging my breasts, and then poofs out at my waist, forming a circle of white fabric around me. A bow goes around my waist, tying in the back.

Alice shoves me down in the seat in front of my vanity mirror and turns me around. She begins applying all sorts of make up and powder.

"Rose, Renesmee, work on her hair," She instructs as Bella begins putting on my white, open-toed stiletto's. Rose and Ness tug and pull, using at least a full can of hairspray, and them and Alice both finish at the same time.

"Beautiful," Bella smiles. Alice spins me back around towards the mirror so I can admire their work. I am amazed. My cheekbones look high, my eyes seem bigger, and my hair is piled on my head in one of those fancy buns that I have only ever seen in magazines. I look at least five years older, and with these shoes I probably am as tall as a nineteen year old too.

"Wow, Alice, I don't think I will ever know how you work such miracles." I gape at my own reflection. Rose clears her throat.

"And of course you too Rose and Renesmee. My hair is positively stunning. Thanks, all four of you," I hug them all at the same time.

"Cassie, are you ready?" Carlisle calls from below. I walk steadily down the stairs and hope not to rip my dress on these pointy heels.

"You look beautiful, daughter," Carlisle takes my hand.

"Thanks, dad." I whisper on the verge of crying happily.

Rose and Emmett, arm in arm, begin a steady walk down the long dark blue velvet carpet out in the back yard. Edward and Bella follow, then Alice and Jasper, and finally Jacob and Renesmee.

"Are you ready?" Carlisle asks.

"Nope. Lets go," I smile. He opens the back doors, and Esme begins playing the bridal march. Dozens of beautiful pale heads of the people Colton and I have befriended during my time as a vampire turn to look at me, and pictures are snapped. Carlisle and I keep our footsteps in sync as we head towards Colton who is wearing a formal black and white tux with a blue tie. At the end of the long row of chairs, Carlisle kisses my cheek and gives my hand to Colton.

"Ladies and gentleman, we are gathered here today to join Cassandra Danielle Gallagher Cullen and Colton Peter Harris Cullen in holy matrimony," Eleazar Denali begins. He continues on getting more and more boring by the second and I force myself to stare into the happy eyes of Colton. I try to make myself seem as overjoyed as he is, but I'm pretty sure I failed miserably.

"Colton, do you take Cassandra to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, through sickness and in health, in rich and in poor, for the rest of eternity?"

"I do," He breathes, sliding on a ring even more extravagant than my huge rock of an engagement ring and giving my hands, which are interlocked with his, a gentle squeeze.

"And Cassandra, do you take Colton to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, through sickness and in health, in rich and in poor, for the rest of eternity?"

"I do," I squeak out, sliding on his simple gold band, and squeezing his hands back.

"Then I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Colton grabs me, dramatically and romantically bending me down and kissing me with a hot passion as the crowd cheers.

"Take that, Alec," I think to myself. "I'm married. I am never going crawl back to you. Have fun being a miserable, unloved parasite for the rest of eternity!"

But then that annoying voice that always seems to speak up at the worst of times whispers, "Its a good thing you didn't say happily married, because you know that you wish it was Alec who had been staring at you with such love and adoration for the past half hour. And you're going to be just as miserable as he is, if he is even miserable at all!"

I squash that irritating little creature before it can get any louder. This is my life. Having a normal, as-close-to-human-as-possible life with my loving parents, playful brothers, caring sisters, and devoted husband. And I am going to smile about it. I am going to force back the tears and swallow the pain, and even if it kills me, I am going to smile.

ALEC POV

Today is the day Cassie is getting married.. When the invitation came along with that hateful letter 4 months ago, I nearly died. And I couldn't share my pain with anyone. Jane would have bit my head off if I even mentioned how upset I am. She is so protective of Tanya, they are like sisters, and she still hasn't forgiven me for my romantic adventure with Cassie over ten years ago. Thankfully she never told her though.

I am constantly having mental wars with myself if I made the right decision choosing Tanya over Cassie. Tanya is hot and powerful and everyone just expects us to be together, we are like the perfect superstar couple. But our alone time is filled with awkward silences that we usually can only break with sex.

Things were different with Cassie, though. She always kept me wondering what she was going to do next, and we always had the most wonderfully interesting conversations. She is beautiful and funny and my time with her, though short, was the best time of my existence. She is a nobody though. No power, only 14. I am only 15, but I look at least 18. She looks.. well.. 14.

I am a horrible person. I shun my love for a pure and honest girl to protect my image, and instead choose a spoiled and bratty girl who whines constantly.

Tanya is sexy when she wants to be, and always knows the exact thing to say to a guy to turn him on (unfortunately, she uses that gift on every guy on the guard) but Cassie always fumbled for her words. I thought it was adorable, though, and I would trade Tanya's seduction for Cassie's mumbling any day.

I guess its too late now, though. She has fallen in love with someone else, some guy named Colton. I loathe and envy him. He is probably holding my gorgeous little redhead in his arms right now, kissing her, whispering romantic things that will remind her of why she fell in love with him while I sit alone in my room, my only things to look forward to are sex with Tanya and my next meal. And I don't mean those are my only things to look forward to for today. I mean for the rest of eternity.